


Rory's Birthday Party(ies)

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Series: Boarding School Buddies [15]
Category: Batman (Comics), Castle, Gilmore Girls, Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2013-05-07
Packaged: 2017-12-10 16:18:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/788016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Re-Telling of Rory's Birthday Parties, the Boarding School Buddies way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rory's Birthday Party(ies)

**Author's Note:**

> Ages: Rory: 16, Dick and Babs: 20-ish, Jason: 13, Alexis: 10

“I have an emergency.”

“What kind of emergency?” Bruce asked, quirking an eyebrow as he held the phone to his ear.

“An Emily Gilmore emergency.”

“Ah.”

“Rory’s sixteenth birthday is this weekend.”

“I’m aware. I’m having Alfred put something in the mail for her.”

“No. No no no I need you here. Emily has taken over my birthday party with her own, meaning I have to bump the one I had planned to Saturday, and I have to go and wear a fussy, uncomfortable dress and pretend to be nice to people I either don’t know, don’t remember or don’t like.”

“That…sounds a lot like my everyday life,” Bruce muttered.

“Come to the Emily party,” Lorelai pleaded. “Or send Dick and Jason. Just…do something. Do not make me do this by myself.”

“You won’t be by yourself,” Bruce said absently. He was obviously doing something else while talking to her. “I know for a fact that Tony and Rick are going.”

“Yes, but you’re you, and my mother likes you best.”

Bruce sighed heavily. “I’ll see what I can do. At the very least, I can send Alfred with Jason. He could use to get out of Gotham for a while.”

“How is he settling in?” Lorelai asked.

“Not as easily as Dick did,” Bruce replied. “But he’s getting there. Like I said, it’ll be good for him to be away for a little.”

“So…maybe I’ll see you Saturday?”

“Maybe.”

*****

Rory looked around the crowded party awkwardly and sighed. At least her dress was bearable. At least her mother was with her in solidarity.

At least this was only for one night and it would be over soon.

“That is one glum-looking birthday girl.”

Rory’s eyes widened and her head whipped around. She grinned widely as she caught sight of Rick and Alexis Castle.

She hopped to her feet and threw her arms around Rick. “Hi!”

“Happy birthday, Rory,” Rick grinned.

“Ditto!” Alexis said, all smiles. She was still only ten, but had gotten taller since the last time Rory had seen her.

“Thanks,” Rory said, hugging Alexis. “Thank you for coming.”

“Wouldn’t miss it, kiddo,” Rick replied. He glanced behind Rory at Lorelai and quirked an eyebrow. “Shirley Temple Black?”

“Don’t you judge me, Rogers,” Lorelai replied, getting to her feet and kissing his cheek, and then Alexis’. “You guys look great. Thank you for coming.”

“Any sign of Tony or the Wayne clan?” Rick asked, looking around.

“Does it sound like Tony’s here?” Lorelai joked as she handed Rick her drink to take a sip.

“Point,” Rick replied. “And we’d know if Dick and Jason were here.”

“Yes, we would,” Lorelai said.

“Would what?”

Both Rick and Lorelai jumped in surprise and turned to find Bruce standing behind them, flanked by four other people.

Dick, who was twenty, was all smiles and raven hair, while Jason, the younger boy next to him, looked uncomfortable as he tugged on his shirt collar and tie. On Dick’s arm was a redhead about his age, wearing glasses and looking around, taking everything in with an obviously sharp eye. This was Barbara, his girlfriend, and behind them all was Alfred.

“You guys made it!” Rory cried, throwing herself at the group.

Dick laughed and hugged her. “Happy birthday, Ror.”

Lorelai smiled gratefully at Bruce. “You big, giant soft, snuggly teddy-bear of a bat.”

“Not so loud, please,” Bruce said, an annoyed tinge to his voice.

Rick took one more sip of Lorelai’s drink and then passed it to Bruce. “You’re gonna need this.”

Bruce nodded and took a small sip. “Mm. Thank you.” He turned to the trio of kids behind him. “Have fun. Behave.” He pointed to Jason. “No alcohol.”

“Spoil sport,” Jason muttered with a smirk.

Alexis smiled awkwardly as she slipped in next to Rory. “Hi. Hi, Jason.”

Jason frowned at her and then rolled his eyes.

“Say hello, please,” Bruce prodded gently.

“Whatever. Hi.”

Alexis blushed, and Rick’s eye twitched. “Alexis, why don’t we go check out the food, huh?”

“Oh. O-okay, Dad.”

“Let’s go check out the library,” Barbara suggested to Dick and Jason.

“Boring,” Jason groaned.

“Tough,” Dick smirked. “Rory, you wanna lead the way?”

“Yeah!”

Bruce and Lorelai watched the kids disperse and then Lorelai laughed behind her hand.

“Rick’s going to want to keep an eye on Alexis,” Bruce pointed.

“Clearly,” Lorelai smiled. “Thank you for coming. Really.”

Bruce nodded. “I’ll have to pull double duty when I get back to Gotham, but it’s fine.”

“If you’re going to guilt me, you can give me my drink back.”

He did, and they took a seat.

“Well, well, well.”

Both of them looked up and Lorelai held back a groan, while Bruce smiled widely, going into what Tony affectionately referred to as “Himbo Overdrive.”

“Mitzi!” Bruce cried, getting to his feet. “So good to see you, it’s been forever!”

Mitzi smiled widely and turned her head for a kiss on the cheek. “Brucie. You’re looking so well!”

“Who me? What about you, you look beautiful.”

Lorelai felt as though she might gag, and took another sip of her drink.

“It’s so good to see you, Brucie. I never expected to see you here.”

“Well, I am full of surprises,” Bruce grinned. “You remember-“

“Lorelai!” Mitzi cried. “Oh I haven’t seen you since your seventh month!”

“High school would have sufficed,” Lorelai gave a thin grin and got to her feet. “Hi, Mitzi. How are you?”

“Oh I’m fine,” Mitzi grinned. “On divorce number two. How are you? How is Christopher? Do you hear from him at all?”

Bruce did his best not to glower at the mention of Christopher, and Lorelai stammered.

“Uh…he’s fine. He’s in California now. We hear from him sometimes.”

“How often?”

“Everyone can relax!” Tony’s voice cried from the front door. “I have arrived.”

Lorelai couldn’t help but feel relieved, even though she could feel her mother glowering at her from across the room. She hadn’t told Emily that Tony had been invited, let alone that he was coming at all.

Mitzi spotted Tony and scowled. “Oh. Stark is here.”

Bruce grinned. “Not a fan, Mitz?”

She raised her nose into the air. “We have…a history.”

Lorelai tried hard not to laugh. “I’m gonna go say hi.”

Bruce nodded and followed her, leaving Mitzi behind.

“Saved by the obnoxious party crasher,” Lorelai said as they approached Tony. “Howdy stranger.”

“Lorelai, you’re looking clenched up and ready to kill someone,” Tony commented, kissing her cheek. “But you’re at your parents’ house, so I’m not shocked.”

“Tony.”

Bruce and Tony hugged briefly, patting each other’s backs.

“Hey, Bruce,” Tony said. “How’s the orphanage?”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “Everything’s fine, thank you.”

“Good!” He patted Bruce on the shoulder and then sauntered through the front hall and into the party, nodding to people.

“What did you do to Mitzi, by the way?” Lorelai asked.

“Who?”

“Mitzi? She used to come to these things when we were kids? Blonde? Big mouth?”

“That describes a lot of women I’ve encountered, and it tells me nothing specific,” Tony commented. “Sorry, can’t help you. Where oh where is the birthday girl?”

Rory peeked out of the library and gave a soft squeal. “Uncle Tony!”

Tony grinned and waved. “Hi, kid.”

Rory dashed up and hugged him, letting him lift her off the ground.

“What in the world happened to you?” Tony asked. “How’d you get all grown up? Wasn’t I just using you and your stroller to pick up women in shopping malls like yesterday?”

“Gross,” Rory laughed.

"Not so gross," Tony replied, ruffling her hair. "What do you want for your birthday?" 

She pouted. "You haven't gotten me anything yet?" 

"I didn't know what you wanted," Tony defended. "And your mother said nothing extravagant and I don't know any other kind of birthday gift." 

"Oh, Rory, there you are." Emily Gilmore stopped when she spotted Tony. She fought to hold back a disapproving look, trying to keep her composure. "Tony. Hello. You're here." 

"Of course I'm here!" he grins at her, reaching over and kissing Emily's cheek. "I would not miss this party for the world." 

Emily huffed and looked to Rory. "Rory, it's almost time to give a speech to your guests." 

Rory's eyes widened and her face paled. "Speech? But-" 

"Mom," Lorelai said. Her voice was gentle, but firm. "Mom, she doesn't have to give a speech." 

"Of course she does," Emily said. "This is her party. These are her guests." 

Bruce rolled his eyes a little. "Emily-" 

"Tell you what, Ricky and I will give the speech," Tony said. "On Rory's behalf. Ricky! Where is Ricky, he's here, right?" 

"Here!" Rick cried, stepping through to crowd and over to them. Alexis followed him, giggling a little. "I'm here. What are we doing? Is it keg stand time?" 

Emily groaned. "Oh, for heaven's sake." She turned to Lorelai. "Why did you invite Tony?" 

"Because he's my friend, and Rory adores him," Lorelai said, smiling. "Because I can't invite Rick or Bruce without inviting Tony and because it creates moments like these where my grown-up friends talk about keg stands in front of my mother."

"We are making a speech," Tony told Rick. "On Rory's behalf. To her guests." 

Rick looked around the room at all of the over-forties and kids who looked bored out of their skulls, and frowned. "Rory's guests?" 

"Yes," Tony said, plucking the Shirley Temple Black from Lorelai's hand and taking a generous gulp. "Yes. This is such a good idea, this is my best idea." 

Bruce tilted his head as he watched Tony and Rick, and then leaned into Lorelai. "Where is Pepper? Why is no one holding his leash?" 

"She has the flu," Lorelai sighed. 

"Ah." 

"Excuse me!" Tony said loudly, getting everyone's attention. "Hi! Hi everyone. I am Tony. This is Rick. We are uncles of the birthday girl." 

The guests began to murmur, then, and Richard made his way over to Emily. 

"What's happening?" he asked quietly. 

"Tony is happening," Emily groaned. 

***** 

When Emily's party ended, they moved the party to Lorelai's house. The kids had gone for a walk, supervised by Dick and Barbara, leaving the quartet of adults to sit on the porch. 

"So Chris is still out in California?" Rick asked. 

"Yep," Lorelai said, resting her feet in Bruce's lap. "He called earlier today for Rory's birthday." 

"I can't imagine missing Alexis' birthday," Rick said. "I almost did once for a book tour and I couldn't do it. I flew home for that day so I could surprise her with a birthday cake in bed." 

"That's because you're the best dad ever," Tony pointed out, sipping his beer. 

Bruce nodded his agreement. "You and Lorelai do have the market cornered on parenting. I've got two boys and I'm still trying to figure out how to get Dick not to hate me." 

"He doesn't hate you," Lorelai told him. 

"He certainly doesn't like me," Bruce said. "It's my own fault...Ever since he hit eighteen, our relationship just...fell apart...we fight...we say things we don't mean." 

"You're polar opposites," Rick pointed out. "You run on logic and you're standoffish, and he runs off emotions. He wears his heart on his sleeve." 

Bruce huffed. "That's certainly true." 

Lorelai nudged him with a foot. "You need to accept Dick for who he is. And you need to let him know that you accept him for who he is. You have to use your words. Like...long sentences and full statements. Not just grunting out 'good job' or 'nice work' every once in a while." 

Bruce glowered at her. 

Tony laughed. "Ooh, this is gonna be funny to watch. I want video." 

"You're all terrible," Bruce said. 

"Mostly," Rick nodded. "But you love us." 

"You know what else I need video of?" Tony said. "Emily Gilmore when I was quoting Carl Sagan to her guests." 

Bruce snorted. "Okay. That was funny." 

"That woman does not like you," Rick grinned. 

"No, she does not," Tony agreed. "Which is why I like being around her. It's entertaining in a way nothing else is." 

"I think she's still afraid that I'll end up with you," Lorelai said. "When all she really wants is for me to marry Bruce and move to Gotham and plan all his charity dinners." 

"I can plan my own charity dinners, thanks," Bruce said. 

Lorelai scoffed and laughed. "So what does Alfred do, sit in the kitchen and knit you bat socks?" 

"Hh." 

Rick glanced down the street. "Kids are headed back. We should probably call it a night." 

"I don't know if I said this before," Lorelai said as they got to their feet. "But thank you for coming this weekend. I probably would have gone nuts at that party tonight without you guys there. So...really. Thanks." 

Tony reached over and kissed her cheek. "See you for tomorrow." 

Rick hugged her, and then she turned to Bruce and they struggled with what to do. She moved in for a hug, and he moved in to kiss her cheek, and then she moved to kiss his cheek, but he moved to hug her. 

"Okay, this is weird," Lorelai laughed.

Bruce smiled a little shyly. "Sorry." 

Lorelai settled for kissing his cheek, and then pulled away. "Okay. Go. I'll see you guys tomorrow." 

Rory dashed up the porch steps. "Hey, Mom." 

"Hey, Kid. You have fun tonight?" 

Rory nodded and rested her head on her mother's shoulder as they watched Rick and Bruce round up their respective kids, while Tony hopped into his car. "We have good friends." 

Lorelai smiled. "We do. You know what else we have?" 

"What?" 

"Leftover cake." 

Rory laughed, and let her mother drag her into the house.


End file.
